Memories Make the Heart Grow Fonder
by Serene Cullen
Summary: Insite into Aphrodite's life after she enters into the House of Night Erik X Aphrodite


It was my first day, night, at the House of Night, I had just changed my name, I preferred a name of power to my old plain one, Molly, how disgusting, the name I had taken was a much better name, a much more mature one, Aphrodite, just like a goddess.

From that day on my life was different, I was appointed the head of the dark daughters, I was the first girl that had been mentored by Nefret in a very long time, I was getting the best grades, highest in the school, and had found the guy of my dreams. But suddenly everything changed, there was a girl I hated, she took everything from me, she replaced me as the head of the dark daughters, and did better than I did, she stole the guy I loved, and he loved her more, and Nefret was her mentor too, and she was more gifted than I was, possessing an affinity for all five elements, air, fire, water, earth, and spirit, the only thing I had was seeing things, horrible visions, and she could let people watch her, when people watched me, they were always scared after. Zoey Redbird had become the object I despised, she was what I wished I was, and she had the guy, the power, and the respect. I'll take you back with me, back to all of these memories, back to when I first met Erik, to when I first walked through the gates to the House of Night, my first vision and to when everything fell apart, and then my second chance.

_My father pushed me into the back seat of the car, my mother cursing as she got into the passenger seat, he slammed the door, barely missing my ankle. I crawled into the middle of the back seat and buckled myself in; I folded my hands in my lap and stared at them. "You always have to ruin all of our plans for you don't you Molly, second place in your class, if you just tried harder you'd be the best, and now this, this stupid mark that's going to ruin everything, we won't even be able to see you and you won't be accepted by any half decent college." He glared at me through the rear view mirror; I could feel his glare even though I couldn't actually see it. _

_We reached the school, and I was dragged by my arm into the school, when we actually came to a populated area though I was released and I fell into the role my parents would have for me, I looked up with all the confidence in the world and flipped my beautiful blonde hair back over my shoulders. People stopped and stared at us, my father in his best robes, my mother in her finest jewelry, but I was special, people were looking at me most, and guys even whistled, I let a smirk overtake my face, not a smile, never a smile, we weren't allowed to smile. One guy in particular caught my eye, he was tall, dark black hair, bright blue eyes, and very hot. I stared for a moment, until he looked over at me, and winked; he smiled a little in return then looked down again. I frowned and furrowed my eyebrows together, he didn't like me? I suddenly remembered that I shouldn't frown, but a little too late, my dad had seen me, his hand was already coming towards me, I ducked and managed to avoid the hit, then he went to hit me again, I brought my arms up to protect my face and closed my eyes. "Thank you for bringing her sir, but I can take her the rest of the way to Nefret, you won't be needed any longer." I looked up and saw the boy that was seemingly not interested holding my father's fist. "And just another thing" my mother and father were leaving but they looked back "hitting girls only shows that you're weak and disrespectful." _

_He took my shoulders and turned me away, he led me to a building, I wasn't sure which and walked me in. "Thank you for helping me out there" I said to him._

_He looked down at me and smiled "it's not a problem; he shouldn't be hitting you like that." He held a door open for me; I went in and noticed he didn't go in beside me, "you'll find Nefret in there, I won't be necessary anymore." _

_I looked back at him, "you get used to it, the beatings I mean." With that I walked into the room._

"_Hello young one, my name is Nefret, what would you like yours to be?" The lady who the voice belonged to was beautiful she had long dark auburn hair, a tall slim stature, a gorgeous body, and beautiful eyes. _

"_Hello my name is Molly" I was uncharacteristically shy around her. _

"_I see and would you like your name to remain as Molly?"_

"_I can change it?" _

"_That is one of the special things about the House of Night, you can change your name, what would you like to be called?"_

_A smirk overtook my face and eagerness overtook my body, "Aphrodite."_

_She smiled at me, "very well Aphrodite, I will be your mentor and your classes are these." She handed me a white piece of paper._

_It was just after finals day, and everyone's grades were posted, I did what I always did, I started at the back and worked my way to the top. I reached the top ten and still hadn't found my name, I reached the top five, still didn't see me, and finally I saw my name I had scored the highest, with one off perfect. I almost screamed when I saw it, I ran back to my room, and threw the door open, I paused only for a moment, to remember my old roommate Venus, she had rejected the change only a few days ago. I went to my cell phone I flipped it open and dialed my parents, I was about to hit the talk button when I finally paused, _did I really care if they knew? Would they even care anymore? Did they even remember me? Did they even know me? No, they knew scared, obedient Molly_ I shut the phone "I'm Aphrodite."_

_It was summer break and I, like a few others, had opted to stay at school. I was roaming the grounds just getting at peace with everything, when suddenly I was dragged into another scene, I was on a bus, I looked around and only saw little children around me, they were all laughing and smiling, suddenly we hit something, no something hit us, we swerved and I screamed, the bus slammed into the railing next to us, the railing broke under our weight and we all went flying, I looked around frantically trying to help, I only noticed two things, the bus was a yellow school bus with the number 56 on the side and the teacher was my old kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Luchic. I was suddenly back at school, with a group of people around me, I felt arms pick me up, it was Erik, the boy from before, "don't worry Aphrodite I'm taking you to Nefret everything is going to be ok." _

_I was in Nefret's office in a few minutes and she was interrogating me about my vision. I told her everything I remembered. Finally she picked up the phone and called someone "hello my name is Nefret and I'm calling from the House of Night, would you by any chance be having a kindergarten field trip soon?" She paused waiting for an answer. "You do, then I'm afraid I might have some bad news for you, I think the bus you will be taking, number 56 is going to fly off the railing after someone hits you, and Mrs. Luchic and the rest of her young students will go with it." Nefret hung up "you saved them Aphrodite; they're going to reschedule the fieldtrip." _

"_That's so good, I'm glad to hear it." _

"_Aphrodite, you are by far the most gifted student that this school has, your gift from the Goddess makes you very special, I would like it if you would take over as leader of the Dark Daughters."_

"_You're acting was amazing today Erik, I actually forgot it was you for awhile" he looked over at me and smiled._

"_Thanks Aphrodite, you should try acting too sometime I think you'd enjoy it." _

_I smiled at him "I'm not sure I'd be good at it, but it does look fun, I'll give it that."_

"_Erik, wanna walk to class with me?" He looked over at me, before going to the girl who had called him. _

_I sighed and looked down, and went off to my next class, my fifth attempt to date for trying to hook up with Erik, another failure. I walked into my equestrian class; I combed my horse quickly and got her all ready. I climbed on top of my horse and put her into a canter, we came to our first hurdle and cleared it, we cleared all of our hurdles and got a new best time for ourselves. I put her away and then took a quick shower in the connected area provided. _

_I walked out and everyone was congratulating me on my new record. I saw Erik standing against a tree holding a bouquet of roses. I started towards my dorm not wanting to see the girl he would give them to. He ran to catch up with me, "Aphrodite" I turned to him "here, these are for you" he handed me the roses, I felt a blush come to my cheeks and a smile, an actual smile "and I, well I was wondering if, well if" he took a deep breath "wouldyouliketogooutwithme?" I stared at him confused he tried again "would you liketo go out withme?"_

_I smiled again "I understood that one, and yes I would like to go out with you." _

_Erik walked into the lounge, he was an hour later than he said he would be, he came in looking guilty, I went up to him to kiss him and he put a hand up, I stopped confused, "what's wrong babe?" _

_He looked down at his shoes "we need to break up." _

_I stared at him in shock and horror, "what, why? What did I do? I didn't think I did anything wrong." _

"_No it's not that, it's just that I, well while I was shopping today I saw a girl, a really pretty girl, she was sweet and kind, and just, well I fell for her, I'm sorry not that you care but her name was Zoey." _

_Tears crept out of my eyes, "ok, well, um" I looked down hiding my face, "be happy" I could tell listening to me that I was crying, I bolted out of the room, I ran up to my room, unlocked my door and locked it again, I was finally thankful that I didn't have a roommate. I went into my expensive huge spa shower, I tuned the jets on and just sat in it, it took me a half hour before I could feel enough to remember that my clothes were still on, "there's no point" I was startled at how dead my own voice sounded "they're ruined now." _

_Suddenly I felt something, I didn't have to be sad, I didn't have to cry about this, I could be who my parents wanted me to be, a stuck up girl who did anything to get what she wanted, I could become that, and I would be ok._

I rolled over in the stupid tunnel bed, I was in the room next to Erik and Zoey; it was disgusting they had kept me up half the night with their stupid love noises. I went up to the store above us and brushed my teeth, I didn't care what that chic said I was not having an escort. I brushed my hair and changed my clothes I was sad to find I had forgotten to bring a bra, so I changed back into pajamas and went down to my tunnel room. I got my bra that I needed and was about to go back up to the store when Erik and Zoey emerged from their room. Zoey looked mad and Erik looked a little more than troubled, "have fun last night you two?"

"Shove off Aphrodite" Zoey was more than a little mad but I wasn't in the mood to show her pity, she stole my guy, cheated on him, and kept me up last night.

"You definitely weren't trying to keep the volume down where you Zoey? I'm surprised Kolana didn't find us just from your screams."

That did it "YOU HATEFUL HAG FROM HELL, MY LIFE, ANY ASPECT OF IT, IS ABSOLUTELY NONE OF YOUR BUISNESS. Now what the hell is your motive for talking to me in the first place?" She stared at me accusingly.

"Actually I was going to ask you if you would come with me to get changed, buddy system and all that, but that's ok I'll just take Erik." I grabbed Erik's arm "if that's ok with you that is?"

"Sure I'll go with you Aphrodite." Erik smiled at me and all the things I had built up, all my disguises melted, and I was the Aphrodite I had been with him, the one who cared.

"He will not" Zoey cut in.

"It's my choice Z and I don't have a problem going with Aphrodite, come on Aphrodite." He took my arm and led me up.

"Fine but don't think you can just come back and still have me, I'm done you always looked at other girls I'm sick of it we're done Erik."

He paused and I thought he would go back to her, he only looked back "good" then he walked on with me the rest of the way.

We went up into the shower thing; I changed "you know Erik I feel like I should be playing Avril Lavigne's song Girlfriend."

"Why is that" he called from outside the dressing area.

"You know that part that goes _she's so stupid what the hell were you thinking"_

I heard him sigh and laugh a little "Aphrodite can I ask you something?"

"I'm your captive audience, because well I don't plan on running away without a bra so go for it."

"Why did you change after we broke up?"

I sighed "it was that or sit in my bathtub spa for two days with clothes on, I didn't want to be weak, so I became mean, not the best change but it's just what I did." I came out of the dressing area and looked at him and smiled.

"Aphrodite"

"Yes, Erik"

"Will you give me another chance?"

I stared at him in awe "only if you promise not to go to the store and find someone named Caroline." We both laughed and he kissed me for the first time in about a year.


End file.
